Thread: 12ft Jetboat build

After many months, Ive finally started.
3.6m long, 1.35 at the chine, 0.8? sides - cant remember the width - 1.5?
Anyway - its a Wattscraft 3.1? that has been scaled up about 20% to suit what I was after.
After getting it tacked together, its ALOT bigger than I thought LOL - however it will do exactly what I want it form - 3 up hunting and exploring.
Its very tall in the sides - might need booster seat to see over the screen!
Thanks to a mate who owns a Seadoo shop (Capital City Seadoo) , I have pieced together the best mongrel possible,
Pretty happy the way the engine setup has come out - if designed and built from scratch, it would have been almost exactly the same.
Brought a 97 XP 800 from him - 787 engine, using 787 Fuel injected exhaust as it runs on the opposite side to normal and hooks under the carbs thus making more room.
Have deleted the middle drive shaft and used the rear one only and the front coupler.
Pump is a Kawasaki Ultra 250 unit - spline and impeller boot as as if it was made for it.
Shaft seal is early 90s seadoo bearing and seal type unit.
Water box needs to be shortened about 4" and its all good to go.
Motor had rebuild 4 hrs ago and have just done the carbs, so it should be reliable



On its way home




















Couple of issues - folder couldnt do a bend fully and denting the top of the gunnels trying
Had to cut it 80% back and twist to get it flat.
Next one will have a new folder as they spent '11.5' hrs on it and had to send the bottom out to someone else, and couldnt do the screen.
Do the math$ - over it - just want to build.

What Ive learnt in 4 hrs:
-Make sure you have a mate around to help man handle bends etc
-6mm 5083 doesnt like bending on 2 planes.
-3mm isnt much better
-Wear a glove on offhand as tacking gives bad burns over a few hrs
-More tacks required as there are alot of stresses involved and they ping at 12" spacings

Welding the bum up at the mo - top and seat in maybe tomorrow